A people of the Scottish/English Borderlands known as the Strathclyde Britons were the first to use the name Hannow. It is derived from the personal names Hannah and Anna. Another possibility is that it is a religious name, taken from that of Hannah, mother of Samuel. Most likely, however, given the family's Gaelic origins is that it was an anglicized version of the Gaelic "O hAnnaigh", meaning "descendant of Annach", a byname meaning "iniquity". [1]
The surname Hannow was first found in Wigtownshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhaile na h-Uige), formerly a county in southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, where in 1296, Gilbert de Hannethe residing in the county of Wiggetone at the time, rendered homage to King Edward I of England during his brief conquest of Scotland.
During the same year, a Gilbert Hahanith, who may or may not be the same man, was juror on an inquest concerning the succession to Elena la Zuche. The next appearance of the name is in 1424 when John of Hanna (a name that suggests that the name may have been taken from a place, rather than of Gaelic origin) was master of a ship belonging to James, King of Scotland. [1]
Further to the south in England, Hannay or Hannah is a small parish, in the union of Louth, Wold division of the hundred of Calceworth, parts of Lindsey in Lincolnshire. [2]
And East and West Hanney are in the union of Wantage, partly in the hundred of Ock, but chiefly in that of Wantage, in Berkshire. Both were traditionally in Oxfordshire. These parishes collectively date back to Saxon times when they were known as Hannige c. 956. There were listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, as Hannei and literally meant "island or land between streams, frequented by wild birds." [3]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hannow research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1673, 1658, 1689, 1630, 1629, 1620 and are included under the topic Early Hannow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Hannow has been spelled Hannah, Hanna, Hannay, Hanney and others.
Notable amongst the family at this time was Gilbert Hannah of Wigtown; Sir Robert Hannay, 1st Baronet (d. 1658) of Mochrum in the Stewardry of Kirkcudbright; Sir Robert Hannay, 2nd Baronet (d. 1689); and Patrick Hannay (died 1630?) was a Scottish poet and courtier from the stewartry of Kirkcudbright. He "was probably the third son of Alexander Hannay of Kirkdale in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright. His grandfather...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hannow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Hannow family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. Among them: